The wrinkles around Peggy’s eyes had worsened and she had frown lines around her lips, though we both knew she was one of the happiest women in Miami. Her white hair was pulled back in a neat bun and she looked like she lost some weight, but her nails were still freshly done and her makeup on-point.

  Peggy was someone I looked up to. She had gusto and wasn’t afraid of what life might throw at her. “Everything happens for a reason,” she always told me.

  She lost her husband in a plane crash coming back from their honeymoon. They had been married for two months when her happily ever ended in a blink of an eye. They never had any children. She was one of the few survivors of the crash. She had survivor’s guilt for a while, but her faith in God turned her life around. She went to confession and prayed a lot before she was finally able to return to living her life.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to Brandon’s memorial service,” Peggy told me.

  I shook it off. “Please, don’t be. Brandon would’ve understood. You have a very successful café to watch after.”

  “I just don’t trust anyone to take it over. Even if it is for a few hours.”

  “It was your father’s and you don’t want to entrust it to anyone else. I understand that.”

  Colt cleared his throat. “And who is this handsome man?” Peggy asked.

  I answered, smiling the entire time. “This is my boyfriend, Colton Ryder.”

  “Please, call me Colt,” he insisted, shaking Peggy’s hand.

  “Dear,” Peggy said, “I’m a hugger.”

  He rose so they could hug and then sat back down, taking my hand in his from across the booth.

  “You’re a new face. I’ve never seen you in my café before,” Peggy said to Colt.

  “Not new to Miami, just new to your establishment,” he explained.

  “Your mother must be a good cook,” she joked.

  He laughed. “The best.”

  “Most of the people who come here are either worker bees who barely have a second to make a cup of coffee in the morning and just want one on the go, or can’t cook worth a shit.” She chuckled. “That’s why I know Scar here so well.”

  “Hey!” I feigned insult. “Brandon tried, but, yeah, he burnt rice.”

  Peggy grinned. “See, what’d I tell you? That boy had many talents, but cooking wasn’t one of them. And that’s why you still can’t cook macaroni and cheese.”

  I chuckled. “The box has instructions, but it never comes out right. Either too milky, too cheesy, or just dry.”

  Colt rolled his eyes. “Scar doesn’t even want to learn. I’ve tried teaching her, but she says as long as I know how to cook she doesn’t need to.”

  “That’s the same thing Robert told me.”

  “Your husband?” Colt asked, and I squeezed his hand. He winced when he realized he must’ve said the wrong thing.

  Peggy sighed. “My late husband, yes. He never wanted to learn. When we were dating I took him to a few cooking classes, thought it might be fun, but somehow I ended up making everything while he just stared at me.”

  “I’m sure he just liked the view,” Colt said. Such a guy response.

  Peggy blushed, clearly remembering those fond days. “I’m sure he would’ve said the same if he were here,” she agreed with Colt.

  I finished off my fried pickles and brushed my hands on a napkin, washing it down with the rest of my milkshake. “Peggy, I know you don’t have these on the menu, but you totally should. I can’t be the only one with a craving for fried pickles.”

  “My menu is not changing. It’s classic, like me.”

  I scoffed. “You’re classy,” I corrected.

  Peggy grinned. “You’ve got yourself a great girl,” she turned and told Colt.

  He smiled. “I know.”

  “I still can’t believe you’re pregnant,” Peggy said.

  “How’d you know?” I asked, knowing I haven’t told anyone yet.

  “You ordered fried pickles and a milkshake,” she said, as if that was a dead giveaway. “Plus, you’ve stared down at your belly at least five times since I’ve come to your booth.”

  I sighed, feeling mixed emotions. This was something I always wanted but didn’t think it’d happen so soon. And I’d never not be sad over the baby I lost. I tried not to dwell on it too much, since the sadness was all-consuming and I wanted to pay attention to the one I was still carrying. I didn’t want to miss out on any of these moments. The doctors told me the best thing for me to do was live in the present and that was exactly what I was going to do.

  I finally responded to Peggy, “It’s all so surreal.”

  “Brandon would’ve been ecstatic to be an uncle,” Peggy commented and then immediately tried to take it back. “I’m sorry, that was stupid of me. I shouldn’t have—”

  I stopped her. “Don’t be sorry. I think about him every second of every day. I know Brandon would’ve loved this baby. His niece or nephew would’ve been spoiled. Now they’ll never get to know him.”

  I began to tear up and Colt squeezed my hand, reaching further over the booth to grab my other one in his, too. “They still will know Brandon. We’ll tell them stories and he’ll always live on in our hearts and our memories.”

  I knew he meant well. I also knew he was right, which was why I nodded.

  “Hey, Peggy, a refill please?” a gentleman at a nearby booth shouted to Peggy.

  Peggy smiled. “Duty calls. I’m glad you stopped in, though. It was nice seeing you again, Scar. And meeting you, Colt. I wish you two all the happiness in the world.” Then she added, “And, hey, I know you can cook.” She turned to Colt. “But don’t be strangers, okay? I’m not getting any younger, you know?”

  I struggled to get up then just so I could give her a hug. “Peggy, you’re not going anywhere,” I said to her as my arms were wrapped around her. She was like the mother I never had and I’d missed her far more than I cared to admit since I left. I didn’t even know it until I saw her again, but I was not going to go this long without seeing her ever again.

  “We’ll come back,” Colt promised, as I sat back down.

  “Yes, and we’ll bring our bundle of joy when he or she is born,” I put in.

  Peggy laughed. “You’re going to have a boy,” she said.

  My eyes grew wide. “How do you know?”

  “Just do. I get a feeling when it comes to these things.”

  Colt’s smile went to his eyes and it made me full with joy to see him this happy. I guess I knew where he stood. He would’ve been happy with a boy or girl as long as they were healthy, but secretly wished for a boy, I knew.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Colton

  The doctor’s appointment went well and we learned what we could about the baby. We also got the all clear to be physical. It’d been a good few days and I couldn’t complain.

  Scarlet was working on her new writing assignment about Ginger, the street dancer we met. And I had finally rescheduled my job interview for this morning. I just came back from it and had some great news. They gave me the job right on the spot. I was now a construction consultant at a well-known company in these parts. There was no time to waste when it came to financial stability, especially with a baby on the way. I knew Scarlet had a job and they were letting her work remote, so she didn’t have to go back to New York, but this was definitely going to secure things more so. I didn’t want to live paycheck by paycheck like Scarlet said her parents did. Then she lived even more so like that when they passed and it was just her and Brandon. No, I wanted her to feel secure. I didn’t want her to ever have to worry about money.

  Wanting to share the good news and give Scar some quiet time to write, I dropped by to see my parents.

  “So when are you proposing?” Deacon asked, patting me on the back as he passed by to get to the fridge. I nearly choked on the orange juice I was drinking.

  I collected my thoughts. “What the hell makes you think I’m proposing?” Not that I hadn’t thought about it once or twice myself, but never said the thoughts aloud, that was for sure.

  Mom was peeling potatoes over the sink, trying to mind her own business when she snickered. “Come on, Mom, out with it,” I said. Mom was never one to sit back and watch her children make their own decisions, especially one this big. Let’s be real, we all knew she had opinions on the matter of marriage for her sons.

  She chuckled now. “I’m staying out of this one.”

  “Since when?” Deacon inquired.

  “Watch it, young man,” she warned my brother and he shut his mouth, shrugging down into the stool beside me, taking a sip of grape soda he snagged from the fridge. There was something about Mom’s scolding that always made you feel younger than you actually were.

  Mom kept peeling potatoes as she told me, “I just think you’d be a fool not to propose to that sweet girl. She’s pregnant, you’re starting a family together, she loves you, she’s been through so much. Give her some stability, Colt. Make sure she knows where you stand.”

  “She does know where I stand. There’s no question there. I’ve never made her question my feelings for her.”

  “Yeah, ‘cause you’re an open book,” Deke joked.

  I elbowed him in the ribs. “Shut up, dude.”

  He snarled. “See, this is why I’m still single.”

  “Because you’re an ass?” I suggested.

  Mom interjected, “Boys, cool it. I’m only making a suggestion, Colt. What you choose to do, that’s up to you.”

  I shook my head. “I always planned on proposing. I just don’t know if now’s the right time.”

  “Why not?” she asked.

  Deacon echoed, “Yeah, why not?”

  I harrumphed. “Because she just got released from the hospital, she’s still on pain medication, she’s dealing with cravings and morning sickness. She doesn’t need to worry herself with planning a wedding, too.”

  “She’s been out of the hospital for long enough,” Mom noted.

  “But you have a ring?” Deacon urged.

  I sighed. “Actually, yeah, I do.” I rubbed the back of my neck feeling like this was turning into an interrogation real quickly. I even knew how I wanted to pop the question to Scar, but unless they asked I wasn’t going to divulge that.

  Mom turned around and winked at me. “Oh, no,” Deacon growled. “You’ve got to be shitting me! That’s not fair.”

  “No one’s shitting anyone. What’s not fair?” Mom pretended like she didn’t know what Deacon was talking about.

  I grinned, trying so hard not to laugh but it wasn’t working. A long time ago Mom promised me that I could have Grandma Jo’s engagement ring for the girl I was going to marry. Grandma Jo loved me, frankly, more than the rest of them. I knew it sounded terrible to say, but it was the truth. She used to sit around and tell me these stories about her and Grandpa Paul, about how they met, how much she missed him, and how even at the end when he didn’t remember their love, the fact that she did was enough for both of them. I’ll never forget the last time I saw her, I was ditching school one day and decided to drive to see her. Only when I got there, she was sitting in her chair, her face looking to the television. I thought she’d been sleeping. She wasn’t. She was ice cold. I called an ambulance and they said she was gone. Had been for a few hours. Heart attack.

  Deacon’s voice shook me from my thoughts. “Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?”

  I answered, “Grandma Jo’s ring was promised to me.”

  “Oh, so not Mom’s?”

  I shook my head.

  He got all weird then, got up and began walking to the potatoes to help Mom. Deacon was as strange as they came. What the hell was up with him? All this weirdness over a ring? “Good,” Deacon replied, “because one day I’m going to need that.”

  “Yeah, when hell freezes over,” I egged him on.

  He scoffed. “Please. Who knew you were going to be the first one of us to find true love?”

  I swallowed some more orange juice. “You did find true love, bro. You just left the best thing in your life behind and broke her heart.”

  Then I immediately backpedaled. “Sorry, that was a low blow.”

  “It’s fine,” he said and held up a hand. “I shouldn’t have been cracking on you about you and Scarlet. I’m sure you two will be very happy together. And I’m happy for you. I really am. She’s a great girl. Plus, she’s making me an uncle, so I can’t complain.” He smiled then, knowing inside his heart was breaking all over again. I shouldn’t have brought up his ex, but I couldn’t help it. He got on my damn nerves sometimes, that’s all.

  “You should get home to her, right? Don’t want to leave her alone for this long, I’m sure.”

  “Mom,” I responded, “I have Max watching her.”

  “What?” she asked, clearly confused.

  I laughed. “I love Scar, I do. And I know she’s capable of handling herself for a couple of hours, but I worry.”

  “So you asked Max to watch her?”

  “And she doesn’t know,” Deacon interjected.

  I shook my head, confirming what they were saying. “He’s just outside, watching. If she needs anything or screams out in pain, whatever, he’ll know, rush in, and call me immediately.”

  “Man, you’re crazy in love,” Deacon said.

  I laughed again. “I guess I am.”

  “She’s had a lot of close calls,” Mom said, “and you worry about her.”

  “Yes, I do,” I had to admit.

  “I understand. Your father would’ve done the same if it were me.”

  Deacon sighed. “I hate to say it, but I would’ve done the same if it were my girl.”

  I knew in that moment he was thinking about his ex again. I felt like kicking myself for even bringing her up. Now that was all he was going to think about. It was going to be like a video reel that was on loop in his mind. I couldn’t take back my words, though.

  I pushed out of the stool then and got up. “I’m going to head out.”

  “Are you sure?” Mom asked. “You can pick Scar up, come back, and join us for dinner.”

  “Dad would like that,” Deacon added.

  I hesitated. “No, that’s okay. I think I’m going to just enjoy some alone time with Scar.”

  “All right. Tell her I’ll be stopping by soon with some meals.”

  “More?”

  “Yes.”

  I laughed. “You know, you don’t need an excuse to drop by.”

  “I know.”

  “She loves you like her own mother, you know that, right?” Scarlet had told me the first time she stopped by with meals prepared and then tried to skedaddle off when they both knew she really just wanted to stay. She didn’t have a family and she welcomed mine as her own with open arms. It was the many things I loved about her.

  Mom began to get all teary eyed. “Well, I love her like my own daughter.” I knew she did. She always wished for a daughter, but instead got four boys. Not that she ever complained, even for a minute. But we all knew that she secretly hoped for a girl. “It was never in the cards for me,” she had always told us when it was talked about or brought up.

  “Daughter-in-law,” Deacon corrected, breaking the picture-perfect moment.

  Mom brushed him off, though. “No, daughter, period.”

  I gave Deacon a hug and Mom a hug and a kiss, thanked them, and then made my way out. As I was going to open the door, Dad stepped in. “Hey, where you off to?” he asked me, standing tall in the doorway, staring at me with that stern look he always seemed to give me.

  I didn’t know why, but every time he looked at me like that I felt like I was a teenager again, getting caught sneaking around with my friends. “I’m on my way home to Scar. She’s home alone,” I said by way of explanation.

  He patted me hard on my back and I nodded. He grinned then. “I’m proud of you, son.”

  “You are?” I nearly died right there.

  “Yes, I am. You’re a grown man taking care of his girl. I’m very proud of you.”

  Proud of me? He’s only ever said he was proud of Damon and that was when he became a Ranger and did the one thing that none of his other sons had done. He won the son of the year award that year. “Thanks, sir,” I answered my dad.

  “You bet,” he replied. “Don’t be a stranger around here, okay?”

  I shook my head and he pulled me in for a strong hug.

  What the heck was that? That was all I could think as my foggy brain led me to the car.

  * * *

  My mind had been blown away the moment I put the key in the door and opened it to see Scarlet lounging sexy on the couch, one hand tossed over the back, the other wound through her long, wavy hair. Her eyes had a mischievous, seductive look in them and her smile went from ear to ear. My eyes dropped lower and I couldn’t help but stare at the fire hydrant red lace lingerie that accentuated every curve and made her breasts look even fuller, even more beautiful than I ever thought possible. Her boot-free foot was wearing a black stiletto that made her thigh look so good. I guided my eyes upward again to stare into her beautiful eyes when I caught sight of her biting her bottom lip. God, how I wished that was me biting her lip. Biting. Sucking. Kissing. Mine for the taking.

  In a low, sexy voice, she greeted me, “Welcome home.”

  If I could have thought clearly, I probably wouldn’t have made strides to get to her, drop my keys on the way there, and take Scarlet’s face in my hands, holding her to my body as I devoured her. I couldn’t think of anything but kissing her, holding her right there up against my body.

  The way she smiled against my lips when I had a little of my fill made me want to do it all over again. I could see her lips were swollen when I backed away and I smiled because it was my kisses that had done that. It was our fierce love for one another.

  There was no doubt in my mind, not even for a second, that I was going to propose to Scarlet and make her my wife. But, for now, I just wanted to be with her.

  “You’re killing me, Scar.”

 

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